Tag: A Better Red

Community, Event

Gateway Green Bike Park Fully Reopens

On Saturday, October 5th, invited speakers, project staff, and cycling enthusiast gathered at the Gateway Green Park to celebrate the full reopening of the outdoor recreation area for bikes. The southern portion of the hilly and wooded park situated between two freeways was closed for years as crews constructed a second track for the MAX Red Line expansion. The restoration of this Portland Parks & Recreation facility was one of the final steps in the light rail service enhancement project called A Better Red, and today’s ribbon cutting marked that milestone.

Linda Robinson and Ted Gilbert (center) with others cutting ribbon

In early April, construction crews began working on the southern portion of the off-road cycling and outdoor recreation area. The newly completed TriMet transit bridge and track placement required significant earth-moving work, creating the opportunity to completely rebuild this section of the park while adding a universally accessible entrance that should attract new park users. Now, people can cross a bridge adjacent to MAX tracks that take visitors to the park’s high point right from the Gateway Transit Center. While parkgoers could always use the Interstate-205 Multiuse Path to access the park’s center and north entrances, this new southern approach is more direct and separates bike commuter traffic from park users.

Bridge leading from Gateway Transit Center to the Gateway Green Park’s southern enterance

Wilde foliage and newly planted trees in the southern section will take several years to approach the natural maturity seen in other areas of the park. However, this section of the track still offers mountain bike riders the winding gravel-based paths that make this a popular destination. Pedestrians will also enjoy Gateway Green Park, which has several benches and natural scenery. Despite wooded views, visitors are always aware of Interstate-84 and I-205 traffic surrounding the park. This land was once just unused space leftover from freeway construction, explained Ted Gilbert from Friends of Gateway Green. Efforts to transform this area into something other than scenery for motorists began in 2005. Gilbert and Linda Robinson, among many other community members, worked for years to create this park, securing funding and support. This ceremony commemorates the completion of the park’s third phase of development and delivers on its founders’ goals for this public resource.

Several vendors were onsite with loaner bikes and other transportation information as part of both the celebration and the Take Your Kid Mountain Biking Day, presented by NW Trail Alliance. Gateway Green Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and features a Portland Loo restroom, bike trail, pump tracks, and skills areas. Access to the park is easier than ever when entering from the Gateway Transit Center on NE 99th Avenue.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure

Post Construction Gateway Green Improvements

Starting in early April, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will begin restoration and enhancement work at the Gateway Green Park. Construction crews working on the MAX Red Line expansion closed a southern portion of the off-road cycling and outdoor recreation area in September 2021. The now completed TriMet transit bridge and track placement required significant earth-moving work, creating the opportunity to completely rebuild this section of the park and create an accessible entrance that should attract new park users.

Pedestrian and bike access from the Gateway Transit Center

Crews will work through autumn 2024, creating park amenities and reconnecting existing trails. Improved access starts with a pedestrian and bike access bridge from the Gateway Transit Center, leading to a new entry plaza with benches and way-finding signage. The new bridge, shared with southbound trains, allows parkgoers direct access from transit and parking. However, the path’s width also allows emergency vehicles to drive into the remote park. The plaza will connect to an existing path through the park with no more than 5% grade, allowing young riders and other people easy access through the otherwise steep terrain. Mountain bikers will also receive an additional 1,000 linear feet of new bike trails that utilize the condors of the hill.

New MAX Red Line Platform at the Gateway Transit Center

The Gateway Green project began in 2016 with a vision of dedicated hiking and off-road cycling pathways. It now features a diversity of trails and pump tracks. This current work improves access and amenities while restoring the natural oak tree habitat. After years of rail construction on this site, landscapers and arborists will have to creatively reintegrate this land back into the park.

Gateway Green Park is isolated from the neighborhoods by the Interstate-84 and Interstate-205 interchange. Before these updates, people could only access the park from the I-205 Multi-Use Path. This isolation made it hard to discover, leading to limited usage. With the southern entrance at Gateway Transit Center, a new group of park users can walk into this large wooded area and use it for a range of unexplored activities.

Rendering curtesy of TriMet, subject to change

PP&R plans to host a grand opening celebration on October 5, 2024, coinciding with the annual Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Funds collected from developers to expand park capacity provided $308,000 towards this project. Commissioner Dan Ryan directed PP&R to use the restricted Park System Development Charges for this project, avoiding using General Fund tax dollars. This funding method ensures that Portlanders continue to have convenient access to green space as the city grows without burdening the already stretched Parks budget. The northern sections of Gateway Green Park remain open during construction.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Infrastructure

MAX Red Line Reopens to PDX

On Sunday, October 22nd, MAX Red Line trains resumed service between the Gateway Transit Center and the Portland International Airport (PDX). This concludes a multi-month-long disruption to rail service that began on June 18th. During the closures, transit riders used shuttle buses to bypass the affected segment while crews constructed an improved PDX station and furthered track expansion work.

This record-long TriMet light rail closure supported work on TriMet’s system improvement project called A Better Red. Crews began construction in September 2021, with an anticipated completion date planned for the fall of 2024. The work underway improves schedule reliability for the entire MAX system by adding a second track near PDX and the Gateway Transit Center. TriMet constructed those segments with a single shared railway that requires trains to wait for opposing traffic to clear before proceeding. A new bridge spanning Interstate 84 at Gateway supports the second track leading to the transit center and will provide a multimodal access point to the north end of the Gateway Green off-road cycling park.

Although TriMet concluded the four-month-long closure, work on the second track remains incomplete. MAX Red Line trains still share a rail segment near the Gateway Transit Center and will continue single-track operation until the new station platform and rail installation occur. However, most remaining work will not require prolonged closures to MAX service.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

Airport Leg of MAX Red Line Closing June 18

This weekend, on June 18th, TriMet will halt MAX Red Line service from the Gateway Transit Center to the Portland International Airport (PDX). Riders looking to travel to and from PDX will need to take the shuttle bus service until the line reopens on October 21st, 2023. This four-month-long disruption is necessary to construct the A Better Red MAX line enhancements and perform other track maintenance.

MAX train map showing shuttle service segment for Red Line. Illustration curtesy TriMet

TriMet’s, A Better Red project began construction in September 2021 and is set to complete in fall 2024. Work on the commuter rail system extends the MAX Red Line west to serve ten more stations in Beaverton and Hillsboro. The project also improves schedule reliability for the entire MAX system by adding a second track near Portland International Airport and Gateway Transit Center. A new bridge spanning Interstate 84 at Gateway is required to support the second track and will provide a multimodal access point to the north end of the Gateway Green off-road cycling park. Prolonged disruptions to public transit are a burden for regular riders, but these improvements should help speed up rail transit and make for a more reliable system.

Rendering of the new Red Line bridge crossing I-84. Image courtesy TriMet

TriMet officials recommend people traveling to or from a destination on the closed segment of the MAX red Line budget 30 minutes additional for their journey. Unlike the majority of the light rail system, shuttle buses must travel in automotive traffic. Riders should expect significant roadway congestion in this area during peak usage times.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

Prolonged MAX Train Disruption

Starting Sunday, April 16th, TriMet will temporarily close four MAX stations between the Gateway Transit Center and NE 7th Avenue. The light rail disruption will last through Saturday, May 6th, requiring riders to use shuttle buses for transit connections. The 21-day construction window facilitates track tie-in work near the Gateway Transit Center for the A Better Red MAX line extension and maintenance work near the Hollywood Transit Center, replacing rail and ties. TriMet staff suggests travelers plan any trip through this section in advance, as bus lines could see an increase in ridership as people take alternate routes to their destinations.

The station closures affect all MAX Blue, Green, and Red line trains. However, shuttle buses will run every five to seven minutes for Blue Line riders. MAX Green Line trains will only run between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center. MAX Red Line trains will only run between Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport, with no service west of Gateway Transit Center. TriMet asks people to use MAX Orange or Blue Line routes for trips west of the NE 7th Avenue Station. Orange and Yellow Line trains will travel uninterrupted with regular service.

TriMet provided map of shuttle bus service from April 16th through May 6th

TriMet’s, A Better Red project began construction in September 2021 and is set to complete in fall 2024. Work on the commuter rail system extends the MAX Red Line west to serve ten more stations in Beaverton and Hillsboro. The project also improves schedule reliability for the entire MAX system by adding a second track near Portland International Airport and Gateway Transit Center. A new bridge spanning Interstate 84 at Gateway is required to support a second track and will provide a multimodal access point to the north end of the Gateway Green off-road cycling park. Prolonged disruptions to public transit are a burden for regular riders, but these improvements should help speed up routes and make for a more reliable system.

TriMet provided video about work occurring this month

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Event, Infrastructure

Jan 6th I-84 Closure at I-205

This weekend, Interstate 84 will close in both directions near the Interstate 205 interchange. Crews working on TriMet’s Better Red project will pour concrete for a new rail bridge that spans all lanes of I-84. Drivers will need to use detours around construction work from 10 p.m. Friday, January 6th, until 4 a.m. the following Sunday, January 8th. This project is weather dependent and subject to last-minute schedule changes.

The 30-hour freeway closure is necessary as cement masons work overhead on the new MAX light rail bridge. Crews will work all hours, creating the concrete surface for a single rail line and multi-use path. TriMet originally constructed this section of the MAX Red Line with a single track requiring the segment to clear before trains could travel in opposite directions. This upgrade will allow bi-directional transit to and from the Portland International Airport. Additionally, visitors to the Gateway Green bike park will have a new entrance closer to parking and transit.

Travelers intending to use I-84 should plan an alternate route and expect delays. The I-84 ramps to I-205 will remain open, and people driving west on I-84 are advised to take southbound I-205 as an alternate route. Drivers can merge back onto I-84 past the Gateway area. However, detours are likely to cause congestion. Motorists should plan for additional travel time. For more information, visit the project website or call 503-238-7433.

Yellow line indicating Jan 6th-8th closure of I-84. Image courtesy of TriMet

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Event, Infrastructure

I84 Offramp Closed for Three Days Next Week

Next week, Interstate 84’s eastbound Exit 7 will close as TriMet crews pour concrete on a new light rail bridge over the Freeway. The Halsey St/NE 99th Ave offramp provides direct access to Gateway Shopping Center, Gateway Transit Center, and two medical offices. The November 15th to 17th closure will also prevent quick access to NE Halsey street from I-84. Drivers should take Exit 6 towards Interstate 205 South and use the immediate Glisan Street exit. Then they must take NE Glisan Street east, using NE 99th or 102nd Avenues to drive north to their destination.


Montavilla News illustrations on a Portland Maps image

This midweek construction work supports the A Better Red project currently underway next to I-205. The closures of this I-84 offramp will facilitate the construction of the new MAX light rail track parallel to an existing single-track segment of the Red Line. During the shutdown, crews will continue building a new light-rail bridge over the Freeway, connecting the northern section of Portland’s Gateway Green Park and the Gateway Transit Center. Once completed, the bridge’s tracks will allow simultaneous bidirectional MAX traffic through the Gateway area, helping to alleviate bottlenecks and improve reliability across the MAX system. Crews will also install a new multi-use path to the mountain bike park alongside the new tracks. This added access route will make the recreation area more accessible to a variety of users and increase amenities in the space.

TriMet advises that this work is weather dependent and could be postponed or extended. Check trimet.org/betterred/construction for updates to the schedule or to read more information about the project.

Rendering of the new Red Line bridge crossing I-84. Image courtesy TriMet

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Infrastructure

Westbound I-84 Closures in June

Starting June 22nd, TriMet crews will close a segment of westbound Interstate 84 overnight to support work on the A Better Red project underway near the Gateway Transit Center. Each night the roadway will close to vehicles from 10 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. The evening work will continue through June 30th, with a full weekend closure from the 24th to the 27th. People driving west on I-84 are advised to take southbound Interstate 205 as an alternate route. Drivers can merge back onto I-84 past the Gateway area.

Rendering of the new Red Line bridge crossing I-84. Image courtesy TriMet

The two-mile closures of I-84 west, near I-205, will facilitate further construction of a new MAX light rail bridge. During the weekend shutdown, crews will drill a 102-foot-deep shaft next to I-84, providing access to a stable anchor point for the bridge’s foundation. The column constructed on the new foundation is a critical support structure for the 500-foot span. Two construction cranes and other heavy equipment are already on-site and positioned to aid workers with their activities planned for the end of the month.

Once completed, the bridge will add another set of tracks to carry MAX Red Line trains through the Gateway area, helping to alleviate bottlenecks and improve reliability across the MAX system. A new multi-use path leading to the Gateway Green Park is planned for the bridge, alongside the new tracks. This added access route will make the park more accessible to a variety of users and increase amenities in the space.

Multi-use path leading to the Gateway Green Park. Image courtesy TriMet

People interested in knowing more about TriMet’s A Better Red project can attend the June 13th Montavilla Neighborhood Association meeting at 6:30 p.m. At that event, Trimet’s Community Affairs Coordinator, Libby Winter, will present information regarding the light rail project and related construction closures. Additionally, people can subscribe to email updates regarding the project at trimet.org/betterred.

TriMet encourages motorists to plan an alternate route in advance of the work and expect traffic to be heavier than usual during the closures. Transit staff do not anticipate bus and MAX service disruption during this work. As the dates get closer, users of this section of westbound I-84 should check the TriMet project website for updates and changes.

Weekday overnight closures

  • 10 p.m. Wednesday June, 22 to 4 a.m. Thursday, June 23.
  • 10 p.m. Thursday June, 23 to 4 a.m. Friday June, 24.
  • 10 p.m. Monday June 27 to 4 a.m. Tuesday June 28.
  • 10 p.m. Tuesday June 28 to 4 a.m. Wednesday June 29.
  • 10 p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Thursday June 30.

Weekend closures

  • 10 p.m. Friday, June 24 to 4 a.m. Monday, June 27

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association Board.

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

I-84 East Exit 7 Closure

Starting May 8th, the Oregon Department of Transportation will close the Interstate 84 East Halsey/99th Ave off-ramp. This temporary closure allows TriMet construction crews the needed workspace to install support piers for a new MAX bridge over the freeway. Project managers expect to reopen Exit 7 to eastbound I-84 drivers on June 24th, 2022.

Work performed over the next two months will create the support structure for a new MAX Red Line bridge over I-84, located just east of Interstate 205. The bridge will provide pedestrian and bike access to the Gateway Green park and add a second track to the single-track rail system in the area. This project is part of the TriMet Better Red initiative to extend the MAX Red Line westward to serve ten more stations. Additionally, crews will install bidirectional rails in places with share tracks, speeding up the whole system.

TriMet suggests a detour onto Exit 6 towards I-205 South during the off-ramp closure and then use the Glisan Street/Stark Street exit. Drivers will follow NE Glisan east to NE 99th Avenue. Plan accordingly for this closure by using the ODOT TripCheck.com website for route information and updates. Better Red crews will continue their work in the area until its completion in 2024.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

Better Red work is Reshaping Upper Gateway Green

Update – Starting this week, pedestrians and bicyclists have a new detour when traveling on the I205 Multi-use Path. Construction crews erected a chainlink fence and laid new asphalt, creating a short loop around the active construction zone. Development plans for the path include a slight pavement diversion around support structures holding up the new overhead TriMet Red Line track. This temporary “C” shaped I205 Multi-use Path turnout should remain in place while the Redline Bridge construction is underway. Use caution in the Gateway Green area as this pathway shares space with construction vehicles and workers.

Original article published February 22nd, 2022

In September 2021, TriMet contractors closed the south end of the Gateway Green bike park as part of a light-rail expansion project. The work connects a second track leading from the airport to the Gateway Transit Center for MAX Red Line service. This project will also add a new entry point for the park with several updated amenities. The closure will continue through construction, ending in late 2024.

Rendering curtesy of TriMet and subject to change

Dubbed A Better Red, the project extends the MAX Red Line west to serve ten more stations and adds an extra track to single-track portions of the rail network, allowing for simultaneous bidirectional travel. The rail line expansion at the Portland International Airport can occur directly adjacent to the existing track. However, the land near the Gateway Transit Center is more constrained.

Due to the current track’s proximity to I205, TriMet needed a new path for the second track. The solution chosen by planners sends southbound light-rail cars over the northbound tracks and through the Gateway Green Park. Consequentially, TriMet needs to construct two overpasses. One will take the Red Line above the northbound tracks and the I205 Multi-use bike and pedestrian path. Then another overpass bridge will cross I84, leading into the Transit Center.

Rendering curtesy of TriMet and subject to change

The current I205 Multi-use trail will need to reroute slightly between bridge supports as it travels underneath the new Red Line tracks. That bridge work is underway with an expected path closure during overhead bridge installation work.

Rendering curtesy of TriMet and subject to change

Although the work inside the park is extensive, only two trails and the south entrance to the park are off-limits to visitors. Currently, construction material and equipment block the upper sections of Linda’s Line trail and Rebar Ridge trail. However, crews will extend both courses into a new high-point trailhead when the project completes. Parkgoers will access that amenity from a paved south entry plaza. Thanks to a pathway created alongside the Red Line’s I84 crossing, the south entry to Gateway Green will become the predominant entry point to the park.

When complete, Gateway Green will be more accessible to all types of users while enhancing the MAX service to the airport. The majority of the park will remain open during construction. Visitors should anticipate seeing construction-related activities around the property with the occasional detour along the I205 Multi-use Path.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.